As the back-to-school season approaches — or, in some states, has already begun — students, teachers, and parents are preparing for another year of hard work and focus on school.
But the extent to which children care about learning varies across US states, according to a 2023-2024 study by the National Survey of Children's Health, a data collection program funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
The analysis included responses from 70,282 children across the US between the ages of 6 and 17 and asked parents and guardians two questions: how often does this child care about doing well in school, and how often does this child do all the required homework?
The answers were then reflected into three categories: "always," "usually," and "sometimes or never" engaged in school. Those categorized in "always" put that answer for both questions. Those in "usually" responded to both questions as "usually" or to one as "usually" and the other as "always." All remaining children were classified as "sometimes or never."
Those in the Northeast, including New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania, had the largest shares of children reported as always engaged in school. Children in New Hampshire and Vermont, however, were among the least engaged; Alaska ranked last.
Still, the findings offer a snapshot of how consistently caregivers say children are motivated and completing their schoolwork — not a direct measure of academic performance or school quality.
Engagement can be shaped by many overlapping factors, like family routines, disability or mental health needs, school workload, chronic absenteeism, and access to tutoring or after-school care. The interpretation of "always" and "usually" may also vary by respondent.
Here's how children ages 6 to 17 in every state and Washington, DC, fared.
51. Alaska
Always engaged in school: 34.5% of children
Usually engaged in school: 45.2% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.3% of children
50. Idaho
Always engaged in school: 34.5% of children
Usually engaged in school: 45.2% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.3% of children
49. New Hampshire
Always engaged in school: 34.9% of children
Usually engaged in school: 45.7% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.4% of children
48. Utah
Always engaged in school: 34.9% of children
Usually engaged in school: 41.3% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 23.8% of children
47. Montana
Always engaged in school: 35.4% of children
Usually engaged in school: 40.5% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 24.1% of children
46. Vermont
Always engaged in school: 36.5% of children
Usually engaged in school: 40.3% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 23.1% of children
45. Oregon
Always engaged in school: 36.9% of children
Usually engaged in school: 39.7% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 23.4% of children
44. Wyoming
Always engaged in school: 37.6% of children
Usually engaged in school: 41.6% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.8% of children
43. West Virginia
Always engaged in school: 37.8% of children
Usually engaged in school: 41.1% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 21.1% of children
42. Colorado
Always engaged in school: 38.7% of children
Usually engaged in school: 42.1% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.2% of children
41. Indiana
Always engaged in school: 38.7% of children
Usually engaged in school: 40.4% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.8% of children
40. Washington
Always engaged in school: 39.1% of children
Usually engaged in school: 38.8% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 22.1% of children
39. Nevada
Always engaged in school: 39.3% of children
Usually engaged in school: 37.7% of childrents
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 22.9% of children
38. Oklahoma
Always engaged in school: 39.4% of children
Usually engaged in school: 40.5% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.2% of children
37. Missouri
Always engaged in school: 39.5% of children
Usually engaged in school: 39.1% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 21.4% of children
36. New Mexico
Always engaged in school: 39.8% of children
Usually engaged in school: 39.3% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.9% of children
35. Minnesota
Always engaged in school: 40.0% of children
Usually engaged in school: 38.8% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 21.2% of children
34. Wisconsin
Always engaged in school: 40.7% of children
Usually engaged in school: 39.2% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.1% of children
33. Iowa
Always engaged in school: 41.1% of children
Usually engaged in school: 39.2% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.7% of children
32. Maine
Always engaged in school: 41.1% of children
Usually engaged in school: 37.9% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 21.0% of children
31. South Dakota
Always engaged in school: 41.5% of children
Usually engaged in school: 38.9% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.6% of children
30. Virginia
Always engaged in school: 41.5% of children
Usually engaged in school: 38.0% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.5% of children
29. North Carolina
Always engaged in school: 42.4% of children
Usually engaged in school: 38.6% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.0% of children
28. North Dakota
Always engaged in school: 42.7% of children
Usually engaged in school: 39.4% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.9% of children
27. Hawaii
Always engaged in school: 43.0% of children
Usually engaged in school: 42.0% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 15.0% of children
26. Kansas
Always engaged in school: 43.0% of children
Usually engaged in school: 39.2% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.8% of children
25. Nebraska
Always engaged in school: 43.0% of children
Usually engaged in school: 40.2% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 16.8% of children
24. Maryland
Always engaged in school: 43.1% of children
Usually engaged in school: 36.1% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.8% of children
23. Michigan
Always engaged in school: 43.8% of children
Usually engaged in school: 37.2% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.1% of children
22. South Carolina
Always engaged in school: 43.9% of children
Usually engaged in school: 34.3% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 21.8% of children
21. Georgia
Always engaged in school: 44.4% of children
Usually engaged in school: 38.4% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.2% of children
20. Illinois
Always engaged in school: 44.4% of children
Usually engaged in school: 39.5% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 16.1% of children
19. Ohio
Always engaged in school: 44.7% of children
Usually engaged in school: 37.0% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 18.3% of children
18. Louisiana
Always engaged in school: 45.1% of children
Usually engaged in school: 34.7% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.3% of children
17. Arkansas
Always engaged in school: 45.6% of children
Usually engaged in school: 33.1% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 21.3% of children
16. Kentucky
Always engaged in school: 45.6% of children
Usually engaged in school: 36.1% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 18.2% of children
15. New York
Always engaged in school: 45.6% of children
Usually engaged in school: 35.0% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.4% of children
14. Arizona
Always engaged in school: 45.8% of children
Usually engaged in school: 34.7% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.4% of children
13. District of Columbia
Always engaged in school: 45.8% of children
Usually engaged in school: 35.2% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.0% of children
12. Mississippi
Always engaged in school: 46.3% of children
Usually engaged in school: 35.5% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 18.2% of children
11. California
Always engaged in school: 46.4% of children
Usually engaged in school: 36.3% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.2% of children
10. Alabama
Always engaged in school: 46.5% of children
Usually engaged in school: 36.3% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.2% of children
9. Florida
Always engaged in school: 46.6% of children
Usually engaged in school: 36.0% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.4% of children
8. Rhode Island
Always engaged in school: 46.8% of children
Usually engaged in school: 35.9% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.3% of children
7. Connecticut
Always engaged in school: 47.0% of children
Usually engaged in school: 34.6% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 18.4% of children
6. Texas
Always engaged in school: 47.0% of children
Usually engaged in school: 34.7% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 18.3% of children
5. Tennessee
Always engaged in school: 47.3% of children
Usually engaged in school: 35.7% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.0% of children
4. Delaware
Always engaged in school: 47.8% of children
Usually engaged in school: 33.4% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 18.8% of children
3. Pennsylvania
Always engaged in school: 48.7% of children
Usually engaged in school: 34.4% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 16.9% of children
2. Massachusetts
Always engaged in school: 48.8% of children
Usually engaged in school: 34.6% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 16.5% of children
1. New Jersey
Always engaged in school: 54.1% of children
Usually engaged in school: 31.4% of children
Sometimes or never engaged in school: 14.5% of children
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Tristin Hoffman is a Life Fellow on Business Insider’s Editorial Partnerships team. Her reporting focuses on retail, travel, business, and more through a visual storytelling and lifestyle lens. She has previously reported on Oregon’s economy for The Oregonian and Pennsylvania litigation for Law.com. Her stories have inspired policy changes, shed light on public officials’ misconduct, and gained national awards. She graduated from the University of Oregon, where she studied journalism and law while serving as editor-in-chief of The Daily Emerald.
